A Promise Not Returned
by Jane Glass
Summary: Jack will always be there for Jamie, but Jamie can't say the same...


**A Promise Not Returned**

**AN: Well, a Rise of the Guardians story from me was bound to happen eventually, so here it is. I'm not pairing Jack and Jamie, especially since Jamie's a child in this story, but if you do...then ya know, whatever... Otherwise, this is just a brother/friendship one-shot. Enjoy.**

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It had been 6 days after they ran Pitch back under his bed on April 8th and now, after having a few more tours around some of the Guardian places, Jack Frost was heading back to the town he called home.

He was flying fast on a chilly wind, enjoying the wind whipping around him and the thrill of going way too fast when he spotted the familiar house he had been looking for.

He slows down a bit, then continues flying on a soft breeze before slowly stopping on the window sill to a room he'd only been in about a handful of times.

He smiles a little as he spots the little brown haired, brown eyed, 10 year old boy laying on his side, faced away from the window.

Jack chuckles softly before pushing the window open a bit, then he leans forward and his feet land on the ground with a soft little tap.

He stops as he hears a small whimper of pain. He looks at Jamie with a worried expression on his face and then steps forward to lean over Jamie before resting his hands on the bed to look down at the boy.

The boy shudders in his sleep, twitching and grabbing at the cover with a fear filled face. Jack lowers himself next to him on the other side of the bed so he's facing the boy, then he wraps an arm under Jamie's head, staring at the boy with worry on his face still.

The boy suddenly pushes at him though, muttering in his sleep, "No...no...stay away from...no..."

Jack stays still, his right hand under the boy's head resting on the boy's back to hold him pushing away too far.

Jamie starts to scream out a few times quietly in his sleep, tears running down his face from his still shut eyes, "No...don't...not him...not Jack..."

Jack's eyes widen at the mention of his name and he pauses a moment, then he reaches forward with his left hand to grab Jamie's shoulder, "Jamie, it's just a bad dream, just wake up..."

Jamie tries to pull out of his grasp, managing to hit Jack in the face, "No...Jack...don't...don't die... Let...go of me...Pitch...!"

Jack pulls him closer, wrapping his left arm around him, and after a moment Jamie stops moving so much, seeming to have woken up, but Jack would let him cry as much as he needed to before moving away.

Finally the sound of crying fades away, and after a while Jack pulls away from Jamie, who's eyes are open and red, and his face is stained with tears.

Jack winces as he wipes the tears from Jamie's face, hating to see him so upset, but then he flinches a bit before continuing to wipe the tears off his face, "You're very warm."

Jamie smiles a bit, but it's almost a broken smile, "Or maybe you're just really cold."

Jack laughs softy, but talks in a serious voice after a moment, "You're still warmer than most people are to me."

Jamie shrugs a little, his smile disappearing again to be replaced by a sad face, "I guess I get warm when I have nightmares sometimes."

Jack nods, understanding what he meant. Waking up in sweat after nightmare filled dreams was something he could remember well.

Jack looks back to Jamie after a moment, "What was it about?"

Jamie sighs, pulling himself closer to Jack to lay his head on Jack's arm and to press the side of his face to Jack's chest, "Pitch...he...hurt...a lot of people... You...you were there..."

Jack could hear the sadness in his voice as it broke mid-sentence, and he tightens his hold on the smaller boy, "I'm not going to ever leave you, Jamie. I'll always be here for you."

Jamie closes his eyes as a few tears spill over anyways, despite the reassurance.

Jack closes his eyes too, resting his head just a little above Jamie's.

The boy could never promise Jack that he'd always be there...because it's not true. Jamie will either grow up...or die...eventually. Jack will hang onto him until either of those days come. He hopes it will be the first. At least then Jamie will live a happy life someday.


End file.
